In today’s market, it appears that profits from the Fisker Ocean are as elusive as ever—especially for founder Henrik Fisker himself. However, if you stumble upon a bricked version left behind by bankruptcy proceedings, you might find an affordable solution, provided you value your time accordingly.
YouTuber Rich Benoit (@RichRebuilds) recently acquired a 300-mile Ocean One for just $10,000. This amount would have seemed unbelievable in the past, but today, Henrik Fisker himself would describe this situation as bleak, particularly as he is attempting to sell off the company’s remaining vehicles for $14,000 each—items that originally retailed for over $70,000.
Benoit’s electric vehicle presents several challenges, the most significant being that it’s completely inoperable. The Ocean, originally a trade-in, had been left at a dealership for weeks until its batteries died. Following Benoit’s purchase, a technician from Fisker was dispatched to address the issues but was laid off during the process. A local EV repair shop also couldn’t help and ended up returning the vehicle. Consequently, Benoit decided to take matters into his own hands.
The troubleshooting cost him only $100, but it took him several days to investigate the problem.
His troubleshooting included using a trickle charger. Although the Fisker charge port light blinked blue or red, it never achieved a steady green. Benoit had already tried disconnecting and reconnecting the charger, resetting the VCU, and inspecting the connectors—all in working order, yet the vehicle remained unresponsive.
Next, Benoit disassembled the charger port and discovered that the locking pin was malfunctioning. He noted that if the lock’s solenoid sensor fails, the vehicle won’t charge. Unfortunately, Fisker does not have any parts available for sale. Fortunately, the internet is a resourceful alternative.
Benoit then purchases a replacement charge port and cable harness assembly. Due to heightened demand, these parts, which used to cost around $100, are now priced at $284.99. Interestingly, other Fisker components, such as windshields, are going for $4,500. This has led Benoit to consider that he could make a quick profit by selling his Ocean piece by piece instead of working on it.
Upon the arrival of the new parts, he compared the sensors and observed corrosion on the original from his vehicle, which was unexpected given its low mileage. Nevertheless, he installed the replacement part. The vehicle started to charge somewhat, prompting Benoit to take it for a spin to a DC fast charger.
However, the Fisker refused to accept the charge. Frustrating.
A new complication arose with the discovery of the charger safety loop. This component is easily identifiable (and accidentally pulled) due to its handle protruding from the A-pillar when the driver’s door is open. When this is pulled, it disables the electric vehicle.
“It’s probably one of the worst designs I’ve seen in a vehicle for quite some time,” Benoit remarked. “The moment you pull this emergency string, the whole [charging] mechanism needs to be reset, as it loses track of the position of the locking pin.”
As Benoit has uncovered, if the locking pin isn’t functioning correctly, charging will be impacted. This incident serves as a reminder to always carry the right tools when driving to help reset the wiring in case of an emergency situation.
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